Automobile lifter



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L. J. LIDDELL AUTOMOBILE LIFTEH Filed July 7 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l 4? g] null A L) 25 glu/vanto@ Patented Nov. 20, 1923.

tile-ii? En xstares MMA@ eArsn'r cierres.

AUTOMOBILE Irrsinn.

Application led July 7, 1921. Serial No. 483,104.

To all w hom t may concer-ni Be it known that I, Louisn JoRDAN Ln DELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans and State of Louisiana, have invented a new and useful iiutomobile Lifter, of which the following is a specification.

rihis invention relates to vehicle litters and more particularly to lifting jacks adapted for use in connection with automobiles.

An object lof this invention is to provide means for conveniently lifting the body of an automobile so that its pneumatic tires will not engage the ground or supporting floor, thereby relieving the tires of the stress occasioned by the weight of theautomobile while. it is idle in the garage or other inclosure. i i

Another object of this invention is to provide a portable automobile lifter having its components so arranged that they can be readily and quickly brought into cooperable relation withv the front and rear axles of the conventional automobile.

A further object of this invention is to provide an automobile lifting device of generally improved 'construction7 whereby 'the device will be simple, durable and inexpensive in construct-ion, vas well as convenient, practical. efiicient and serviceable in its use.

lilith the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed7 it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made ithin the scope of what is claimed, without de i'iarting from the spirit of the invention. n

The invention has been illustrated in' its preferred embodiments in the accompanying drawinafsa wherein: e J

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device showing itsupporting an automobile, the autdmobile'being shown in dotted lines;

Figure 2 is atop plan view of the device, showing portion of the automobile indotte'd lines: Figure 3 is an enlarged side elevation lof the'rrear-lifting device, showing it in its lowered positions;

'taken on a line 5 5 of Figure 1; and

Figure 6 is a? transverse sectional view taken on a line G-6 of Figure l.

Referring to thek drawings 4there is shown va forward lifting or elevating device comprising opposed parallelside members 10, which are united at their rear ends by a vertically disposed cross strip 11. The upA per edge o t each side member 10 has an api proximate-ly horizontal intermediate portion 12, andrearwardly and forwardly 1nvclined portions 13 and '14,'the forward terminals of the side members 10 being united by an obliquelyV disposed cross strip or board 15,r and these side members are further secured in fixed relation to each other by diagonally disposed brace bars 16.

A track or slide member 1T overlies and rests against the forwardly inclined. edge 18 of. each side member 10, and these tracks 17 are preferably formed of rod iron or steel so that they will offer an antisfriction and wear-resisting surface for the front axle F of the automobile to slide upon. f These tracks are rigidly secured to the side meinbers 10 by inwardly bending their opposed terminals ldand driving them into the side members 10, which side members are pret'- erably 'formed of a good grade wood. Y

ln order to limit the forward. slidingl movement of the front axle .F of .the auto'- mobile relative to the side members 10, stop members or staples 19, which have their op posed terminals 2O let into the side members 10 and their 4intermediate portions Vextending upwardly beyond the upper odge l2 of the side members 10, are provided to en;

gage the front axle and thereby limit thev forward sliding movement of the axle'upon the tracks 17. i i

A rear lifting device is provided in the form of'a composite lever 'andincludes' op-4 posed obliquely disposed side rails or lever kbars 21,n which are'preferably formed'of wood 'and are united at their" forward ter minals by a cross member 22 which is secured to the leverv bars by screws o r other cof securing "'devices23. This cross member ism relatively .broad sothat it extends l' down-i wardly beyond the lower edges of: the lever bars 21 to thereby forni a fulcrum 'toot or member 24. The forward ends ofu the lever bars 2-1 arel` rabbeted to lprovide forwardly extending lugs which overlie and engage the upper edge. ot the cross member or board22 to thereby relieve the securing devices 23 of `the direct supporting stress when bars 21 andri's secured to them by means of bolts or other securingrdevices 29. Since the lever bars 21 converge' rearwardly the Ja-ck rest 28 1s made relatively short and consequently strong', and' theintermediate lower portion ol the j Vach rest 28is cut away totorm a recess 30 which has a metallic wear plate 31 secured therein to engage the lifting head1' ol the ordinary lifting jaclr J.

Opposedr rest blocks: are secured' to the upper edges ot' the intermediate portions ot the lever bars 215 andthese' blocks are cut awayy toprovide stop=shoulders 33' and overhanging portions 351e having their 'forward terminals tapered, as shown at 35.

Ay metallic wear plate 36- is secured' to the upper edge or each rest block 32 to engage the rear axle R of the automobile, thus reinforcing these blocks and preventing,` the rea-r axle from' mutilatingl them. Recesses 37' are formed in the upper edges ot the lever bars 21, immediately below the overhanging portions 3a of each rest block 32, and these recesses receive wear plates 38 whichr are adaptedY to engage the rear axle truss rod T to thereby4 protect the lever bars.

In order to reinforce the lever bars 21 they are' each provided with a brace in the form of a truss rod 39 which is spa-ced from the intermediate portion oi the lever bar 21 byv meansv oli' zu spacing blocl-z or strut 40, and thel opposed terminals of each truss rod 39' extends obliquely lthrough the end portions ofV the lever bar. The opposed ends of each truss rod are threaded for the reception ot nuts or other securing den vices,whichA engage: the inclined innerv walls of notches el: termedl in thel upper edges: of the lever bars 21 adjacent 'the opposed terminals thereof, thereby rigidly securing thev trussy rods- 39 tothe lever barsl 21.

To pe-riiiit tlie rear. lifting device to be freely and con niently''movedv alone," the door @supporti-ng" surface, wheels42 are provided and tliese wheels are ou-rnal'edon a transversely 'extending axle which is secured teV the'- braces 261 in any suitable "lliewheels' vi2.:farespositiened :id-e

Ving device is moved "uparf '11,:

jacent the iulcrum toot 2st and located so that their lowest peripheral portion is positioned slightly above the lower terminal of the vtulcrum foot, so thit when the rear ends ot the lever bars are elevated beyond a predetermined position, vthe wheels 4t2 'disenfrage the floor and the forward end of the ting-device is supported by the tulo-rum ot 211, thereby relieving the wheels and azi-le ofthe stressduring` the lifting of the automobile.

In use, the torwardliifting device positioned at any convenient place `upon the gara-gek floor, and: the automobile is then driven tomvardy so; that its front wheels s'tfrad'dile the side membersvlO and the trout automobile from? being; ydriven forwardly `from engagement with the tracks 17 and if the distance is not properly gagedf by the driver, the continued forward' movement ol" the car will cause the front axle F to en'- ejage the stops 19 and move the entire for#` ward lifting device forward, thus maintaining the front axle F in the desired position upon the tracks 117;

After the forward? wheels are elevated?, the rear lifting' device is zgripped at' its rear endf and held so that the' lever bars 21 maintainl appro iinately a horizontal position, in which position the wheels` 42 engage the 'floor and: the itulerunr root- 2-1; isv spaced 'from the floor so that the entire rear l irlt! ing device may be freely .moved alongv the tloor. New the rear lifting device is moved lrwardly 'undici' the rear asile R until the ororhaiig-incv portions 34 ot the rest blocks pass over the truss rod' T and under the rear afXle'l?, andthe shoulders engage the truss rod it. ln this: posi-tion the device may be released,l and it will remain supported by the truss rod T, as shown in Figure 3, thatV boei;- liolnds o? the 'operatori are' te conveniently position the: jac-lr J T- j is pla-eed under the jaclrrest 2S' with its ufper terminal; 'or li ghea-'d in engagen t ii'ithf the wearv plL J is ma ipulatedto causeifo-.1 luizttingg lread to vmore upwardly, .the` re'ai endv offtl'ris l'ftwheels 4t2 disengage the floor andv a'lv'loi'i"1 the :tulcruni roet 24g-tof resti on the floor-` to'subport the. ferwafd endotr the' device. Fu ther manipulation of the, ya l't-ikalv-'eauses the and, as the-)aok n the Wear plates 36 ot the rest blocks 32 to engage the axle lt, and the plates 37 to engage the usual truss rod T and finally litt the rear wheels of the automobile from engagement with the floor.

In this position, the cai' is rigidlysupported in an elevated position, with all oui' tires relieved ot the sti-ess caused by the weight of the car resting upon the ltires. rlhis arrangement prolonge the lit'e ot' the tire, and also permits the tire to be repaired or exchanged at will, as Well as allowing the brakes to be tested and the entire operating instrumentalities of the automobile to freely function in order to work lubricant into the moving components and to detect any suspected detects.

When it is desired to remove the car from the garage, the jack J is manipulated to lower the rear end of the rear lifting device until the rear wheels of the automobile engage the floor. and the overhanging portions 34 of the rest blocks 82 are'disengaged from the truss rod T so that the device may rest upon the floor. The automobile is then backed in the usual manner, which causes the front axle F to slide rearwardly and iinally disengage the tracks 17 thus releasing the car.

It the lifting device is employed in connection with automobiles having no truss rod on their rear axle, then the wear plates 36 oil the rest blocks 32 are moved directly into engagement with the rear axle and the device used as hereinbetore elucidated.

Having thus described my invention, what is claimed as new is l. An automatic lifter including spaced side members having inclined tracks positioned to engage and guide the front axle ot the automobile to elevated position as the said automobile is propelled forwardly by its rear wheels, stop members carried by the side members and positioned to limit the forward sliding movement of the Y front axle along the said tracks, cross strips secured. to the opposed terminals of the side members to secure the said members in fixed relation to each other, diagonally disposed brace bars secured to the side members, and means under control of an operator for elevating the rear axle of the automobile after the iront axle has been elevated.

2. An automobile lifter including spaced side members having inclined upper edges, metallic tracks secured to the inclined edges of the side members by inwardly bending the opposed ends of the metallic tracks and letting these ends into the side members, said tracks being positioned to guide the front axle of` the automobile to elevated position as the said automobile is'propelled forwardly by its rear wheels, and means yunder control of an operator for elevating tlierear axle of the automobile.

3. An automobile lifter including a coniposite lever comprising `spaced lever bars disposed to engage the automobile at opposed sides of the center of the axle, a ulp spaced lever bar and provided with a jack-l receiving surface intermediate its ends toA insure the central positioning of the jack relative to the device to thereby maintain the equilibrium oit' the device during its elevation by the conventional jack.

el. An automobile litter including a composite lever 'comprising spaced lever bars disposed to engage the automobile axle at opposed sides orp the center of the axle, a fulcrum toot uniting the'spaced lever bars at one terminal of the composite lever and positioned to engage the ground, and a jack rest uniting the opposed terminals of the said bars and provided with a jack-receiving recess intermediate its end to insure the central positioning of the jack relative to the device to thereby maintain the equilibrium of the device during its elevation by the conventional jack.

5. An automobile lifter including a composite lever comprising spaced obliquely disposed lever bars arranged to engage the automobile at opposed sides of the center of its axle, a relatively long fulcrum foot uniting the lever bars at one terminal of the composite lever and positioned to engage the ground, a relatively short jack rest uniting the opposed ends of the lever bars and provided with a jack receiving surface intermediate .its ends to insure the central positioning ol the jaclr relative` the automobile, said rest block overhanging the lever bar to provide a recess for the reception of the usual axle truss rod.

7. An automobile lifter includingv a lever bar, a' ulcruin foot carried at one end of the lever bar, a jack rest carried at the opposed end of the lever bar, a -rest` block carried intermediate the ends of the lever bar and positionedv t0 engage the axle of the automobile, said rest block overhanging the lever bar to provide a recess lfor the reception of the automobile axle truss rod, a shoulder Jformed at one end'of the said recess to engage the truss rod when the rest block is positioned beneath the automobile axle.

8. An automobile lifter includingv a lever bar, a fulcriiin :toot carried at one end of xtheflevelf loan, afjack rest carried at'the opposed end Ot the lever bar, and; a Wheel journaled toA the lever ban and positioned to support thellever bar when: the? lever bar is n= a lowered position. a-ndto dsengage ythe ground as tht end of the lever bar which Cazfliesf the jack rest is eheva-tely to permit the fulcruln foot to engage the ground.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing 10 as my own, have hereto aX/ed my Si gnature.

LQUISE JORDAN LIDDELL. 

